A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

In a 60 Minutes online exclusive, reporter Liz Hayes quizzed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his relationship with the unpredictable Twitter aficionado and US president Donald Trump ahead of their meeting at the White House Friday.

SA govt boards, committees face axe

All South Australian government boards and committees will be abolished unless they can prove they are indispensable, says Premier Jay Weatherill.

"The large number of boards and committees currently in existence contribute to duplication, unnecessary complexity and inefficiency within government," the premier said on Tuesday.

They will be abolished "unless it can be demonstrated it has an essential purpose that cannot be fulfilled in an alternative way".

Mr Weatherill also said the Department of Premier and Cabinet chief executive Jim Hallion will take on "a new private sector development coordination role" to assist lodged projects valued over $3 million to clear bureaucratic hurdles.

Speaking at a Committee for Economic Development Australia luncheon, the premier said views expressed to government were too often confined to board chairs or experts selected to be on committees.

"This is something I am very keen to change in favour of the public being closer to decision making processes," the premier said.

"Clearly there are some boards that perform an essential function, the Parole Board being one example. However not all boards carry out such a critical role.